Massive fire guts 1880 city landmark

Updated 7:15 pm, Monday, October 3, 2011

Massive flames engulfed the historic Wolfson Building across from Main Plaza early Saturday, destroying the downtown architectural treasure and damaging a nearby high-rise.

No one was injured in the early morning blaze, the cause of which was not immediately determined.

The fire started at 4:19 a.m. on the first floor of the limestone, brick and wood building at East Commerce Street and North Main Avenue and spread to its second story. The west wall collapsed about 40 minutes later, narrowly missing firefighters, Fire Chief Charles Hood said.

He said the firefighters had just trained to stay clear of such collapse zones.

“We easily could have lost 10 firefighters,” Hood said. “I'm not sure if it's a premonition, good timing, but we averted a disaster today.”

“This is really terrible. It's a major tragedy,” said Mary Carolyn George, an Austin architectural historian. “They talk a lot about a building giving you a sense of place. This has been (there) for 125 years.”

Image 1of/31

Caption

Close

Image 1 of 31

Courtesy of Hector Valadez

Courtesy of Hector Valadez

Image 2 of 31

Fire destroys historic Bell building at East Commerce and Main Street.

Fire destroys historic Bell building at East Commerce and Main Street.

Image 3 of 31

The Bell building constructed in the 1800’s destroyed in early morning fire.

The Bell building constructed in the 1800’s destroyed in early morning fire.

Image 4 of 31

San Antonio fire fighters respond to a massive fire destroying Main Street Ballroom, Poblano's Restaurant and Meat Market Barbeque Restaurant, at Main Plaza.

San Antonio fire fighters respond to a massive fire destroying Main Street Ballroom, Poblano's Restaurant and Meat Market Barbeque Restaurant, at Main Plaza.

San Antonio fire fighters respond to a massive fire destroying Main Street Ballroom, Poblano's Restaurant and Meat Market Barbeque Restaurant. Saturday, Oct. 1, 2011. The Tower Life Building can be seen through the smoke.

San Antonio fire fighters respond to a massive fire destroying Main Street Ballroom, Poblano's Restaurant and Meat Market Barbeque Restaurant. Saturday, Oct. 1, 2011. The Tower Life Building can be seen

San Antonio Fire Chief Charles Hood, right, confers with Fire Safety Officer Mike Handowski, as fire fighters respond to a massive fire which destroyed the historic Bell Building at Main Plaza.

San Antonio Fire Chief Charles Hood, right, confers with Fire Safety Officer Mike Handowski, as fire fighters respond to a massive fire which destroyed the historic Bell Building at Main Plaza.

Photo: BOB OWEN, SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS

Image 15 of 31

San Antonio fire fighters respond to a massive fire destroying Main Street Ballroom, Poblano's Restaurant and Meat Market Barbeque Restaurant at Main Plaza.

San Antonio fire fighters respond to a massive fire destroying Main Street Ballroom, Poblano's Restaurant and Meat Market Barbeque Restaurant at Main Plaza.

Photo: BOB OWEN, SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS

Image 16 of 31

San Antonio Fire Fighters walk back to their truck as the sun comes up at the scene of a massive fire which destroyed Main Street Ballroom, Poblano's Restaurant and Meat Market Barbeque Restaurant at Main Plaza. Saturday, Oct. 1, 2011. less

San Antonio Fire Fighters walk back to their truck as the sun comes up at the scene of a massive fire which destroyed Main Street Ballroom, Poblano's Restaurant and Meat Market Barbeque Restaurant at Main ... more

San Antonio fire fighters respond to a massive fire which destroyed Main Street Ballroom, Poblano's Restaurant and Meat Market Barbeque Restaurant at Main Plaza.

San Antonio fire fighters respond to a massive fire which destroyed Main Street Ballroom, Poblano's Restaurant and Meat Market Barbeque Restaurant at Main Plaza.

Photo: BOB OWEN, SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS

Image 19 of 31

San Antonio fire fighters look from busted out windows on the Riverview Towers which received heavy damage from the fire at the historic Bell Building next door. The massive fire destroyed Main Street Ballroom, Poblano's Restaurant and Meat Market Barbeque Restaurant at Main Plaza.

San Antonio fire fighters look from busted out windows on the Riverview Towers which received heavy damage from the fire at the historic Bell Building next door. The massive fire destroyed Main Street Ballroom,

San Antonio fire fighters gaze at the burning historic Bell Building as the fire department battles the massive fire which destroyed Main Street Ballroom, Poblano's Restaurant and Meat Market Barbeque Restaurant at Main Plaza.

San Antonio fire fighters battle the blaze at the historic Bell Building at Main Plaza.

San Antonio fire fighters battle the blaze at the historic Bell Building at Main Plaza.

Photo: BOB OWEN, SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS

Image 22 of 31

San Antonio fire fighters respond to a massive fire which destroyed Main Street Ballroom, Poblano's Restaurant and Meat Market Barbeque Restaurant at Main Plaza.

San Antonio fire fighters respond to a massive fire which destroyed Main Street Ballroom, Poblano's Restaurant and Meat Market Barbeque Restaurant at Main Plaza.

Photo: BOB OWEN, SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS

Image 23 of 31

A single light shines in the Riverview Towers as San Antonio fire fighters respond to a massive fire next door at the historic Bell Building.

A single light shines in the Riverview Towers as San Antonio fire fighters respond to a massive fire next door at the historic Bell Building.

Photo: BOB OWEN, SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS

Image 24 of 31

San Antonio fire fighters respond to a massive fire which destroyed Main Street Ballroom, Poblano's Restaurant and Meat Market Barbeque Restaurant in the historic Bell Building at Main Plaza.

San Antonio fire fighters respond to a massive fire which destroyed Main Street Ballroom, Poblano's Restaurant and Meat Market Barbeque Restaurant in the historic Bell Building at Main Plaza.

Photo: BOB OWEN, SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS

Image 25 of 31

San Antonio fire fighters respond to a massive fire destroying Main Street Ballroom, Poblano's Restaurant and Meat Market Barbeque Restaurant in the historic Bell Building at Main Plaza.

San Antonio fire fighters respond to a massive fire destroying Main Street Ballroom, Poblano's Restaurant and Meat Market Barbeque Restaurant in the historic Bell Building at Main Plaza.

Photo: BOB OWEN, SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS

Image 26 of 31

Firefighters toss a desk out of the broken window of a building that was damaged as a fire destroyed an adjacent building at the corner of Main and Commerce early on Saturday, Oct. 1, 2011.

Firefighters toss a desk out of the broken window of a building that was damaged as a fire destroyed an adjacent building at the corner of Main and Commerce early on Saturday, Oct. 1, 2011.

Photo: BILLY CALZADA/gcalzada@express-news.net

Image 27 of 31

Firefighters toss a desk out of the broken window of a building that was damaged as a fire destroyed an adjacent building at the corner of Main and Commerce early on Saturday, Oct. 1, 2011.

Firefighters toss a desk out of the broken window of a building that was damaged as a fire destroyed an adjacent building at the corner of Main and Commerce early on Saturday, Oct. 1, 2011.

Photo: BILLY CALZADA/gcalzada@express-news.net

Image 28 of 31

Firefighters toss a desk out of the broken window of a building that was damaged as a fire destroyed an adjacent building at the corner of Main and Commerce early on Saturday, Oct. 1, 2011.

Firefighters toss a desk out of the broken window of a building that was damaged as a fire destroyed an adjacent building at the corner of Main and Commerce early on Saturday, Oct. 1, 2011.

Photo: BILLY CALZADA/gcalzada@express-news.net

Image 29 of 31

A wall mounting and painting survived a fire that destroyed a building at Main and Commerce on Saturday, Oct. 1, 2011.

A wall mounting and painting survived a fire that destroyed a building at Main and Commerce on Saturday, Oct. 1, 2011.

Photo: BILLY CALZADA/gcalzada@express-news.net

Image 30 of 31

Workers clean up debris left by a fire that destroyed a historic building off of Main Plaza early on Saturday, Oct. 1, 2011.

Workers clean up debris left by a fire that destroyed a historic building off of Main Plaza early on Saturday, Oct. 1, 2011.

Photo: BILLY CALZADA/gcalzada@express-news.net

Image 31 of 31

Massive fire guts 1880 city landmark

1 / 31

Back to Gallery

Paul Carter, the building's owner, echoed the sense of loss.

“This was, I think, (Giles') best contribution to the landscape of San Antonio,” Carter said. “It's sad. It was a downtown landmark.”

The building, catty-corner to the City Council chambers, marked the site of Mexican Gen. Antonio López de Santa Anna's headquarters after the Battle of the Alamo, said Carter, who discovered a marble plaque in the basement commemorating the site.

According to a 1997 San Antonio Express-News article, the 1922 marble marker was removed from an outside wall in the 1970s by Marvin Hyman, the building's previous owner, because it was cracked and he feared it might be further damaged by people leaning against it while waiting at a bus stop.

Most Popular

The Wolfson Building was charred by fire in 1904, said Maria Watson Pfeiffer, a local historian who found a photograph of that blaze.

“It looks eerily the same” as Saturday's fire, she said. “It gutted it, and they eventually reconfigured it and rebuilt it. It took both the Wolfson Building and the one next door, which at that time looked much different and was the old White Elephant Saloon.”

Saturday's blaze also damaged a law office and the city's finance office in the Riverview Towers, the 21-story commercial building next door. Hood said the bottom seven floors were affected.

Carter and his father, David Carter, bought the Wolfson Building and restored it in 1994.

It was home to the Main Street Ballroom, a popular venue for reception banquets. Poblanos on Main, a Mexican food restaurant, moved in last year, and Meat Market Barbecue opened in April. Mama's Café housed its headquarters there.

“It was one of the very fine buildings in spite of the fact that it had been remodeled,” Pfeiffer said. “When you stood up in that corner reception room and looked out at (San Fernando Cathedral) and the plaza, it was such a special view. With the floor-to-ceiling windows, it was a magical view of Main Plaza.”

George said the Carters' efforts spurred downtown development and the revitalization of the plaza.

“When they took on the building, they were in the vanguard,” she said. “And I think what happened later in Main Plaza was due to what they did.”

Though the cause of the fire had not been determined, George Woodard, general manager of the barbecue restaurant, said officials told him they suspected the fire started at his restaurant.

More Information

A history of the Wolfson Building

1836: Mexican Gen. Antonio López de Santa Anna uses the site as his headquarters after the Battle of the Alamo.

1880: The structure, designed by prominent architect Alfred Giles, is built. It first housed Wolfson’s Dry Goods and Clothing store.

1904: The building is heavily damaged by fire but is rebuilt.

1922: A marble marker is added commemorating the site’s connection to Santa Anna.

1970s: The marker is removed from an outside wall by Marvin Hyman, the building’s previous owner. It’s later found in the basement.

Oct. 1, 2011: The building burns to the ground in a fire that also damages a nearby high-rise.